'Winners Always Fight'

© Getty ImagesNicolas Kiefer says to never give up.

Nicolas Kiefer discusses the importance of his fitness regimen and why he’s dreaming of the premier German football league (Bundesliga).

Note: Story courtesy McFit.de

Nicolas, you once said that your dream is to play just a single minute in a Bundesliga game. Are there any negotiations with Hannover 96 – your hometown football club?
That was just a joke of course. It was already a great experience for me just to participate in a friendly game and even to score. For that I am very grateful to the former Hannover 96 coach Peter Neururer and Ewald Lienen. To be a professional football player in the Bundesliga remains just a dream.

Any team can defeat another in football – is it the same in professional tennis?
Except for the “Top 3” I would say yes. If the particular opponent has a good day and respectively one of the Top 3 does not have such a good day then even they are beatable too.

What differentiates you from Roger Federer? What do you need to do to get into the Top Ten?
I was amongst the Top 10 for a long time and there is no reason not to aim for that ranking again. But there is a lot that differentiates me from Roger. Roger is - and it is not embarrassing to say - quite honestly the better player.

You said that you are not focussed on rankings. What is your goal then?
1. Health
2. Good tennis
3. Stability

If I have these three factors there is no need to talk about the rankings. The written confirmation comes naturally.

Is it harder to win tournaments in today’s Federer-Nadal era than it was when your career began?
No, if you pick a tournament that is not entered by these two guys and also Novak Djokovic then you can win as well…

How important is fitness training in tennis?
For me it’s as important as on-court training. Fitness is one of my outstanding strengths.

What does your typical training week consist of? What do you focus on?
The mixture is important. Weight and fitness training, tennis and care must complement each other. If just one of the four factors is neglected then everything is out of balance.

What’s the best thing about your job? What’s the worst?
To count the good things, you would have to provide me with 14 pages in your magazine! The worst is that it has to end sometime.

You travel all over the world playing tournaments and could live anywhere – why do you still live in Hannover?
Hannover is my home. I’ve got my family, my girlfriend and friends here. And here I’ve got not only “96” but also other sport clubs I became a fan of quickly.

Kiefer in full flow on the ATP World Tour.If you hadn’t become a tennis player, today you would…?
… surely not sit in an office eight hours a day. I’m too impatient and active to do so.

What is a perfect weekend like for you?
There are two options: Hannover zoo or Hannover’s city lake “Maschsee," sunshine, no mobile and my girlfriend Inga with me. Or Wimbledon, finals day and I win match point.

Final question: What’s your philosophy of life?
Only losers give up. Winners always fight.

How to be as powerful as Nicolas Kiefer: